Rotary gas burner



May 15, 1956 H. H. YOUNG 2,745,479

ROTARY GAS BURNER Filed Feb. 18, 1953 a Inventor: 3" 25 Hewitt H. Young,

I yw (1 x His Attorney United States Patent '0 ROTARY GAS BURNER Hewitt H. Young, West Lafayette, Ind., assignor to Gen- My invention relates in general to rotary type gas burners and has for its object the provision of a rotary burner which will permit sidewise insertion into or removal from the burner, by movement transversely of the burner rotation axis, of work articles which are incapable of insertion into or removal from the burner endwise thereof, i. e., by movement in a direction along the burner rotation axis.

There are many instances where it is desirable to employ a rotary type gas burner for heating articles which, by virtue of their shape or configuration either prior or subsequent to the heating thereof, cannot be inserted into or removed from the burner by movement endwise thereof in a direction along its rotational axis. For example, where it is desired to join the ends of two separate members together by a heating operation to form a circular or substantially closed annular article such. as a circular lamp tube for instance, the finished article ordinarily could not be removed from a conventional type rotary burner which customarily comprises a completely closed burner ring by reason of the fact that the annular article and the closed burner ring are looped through and locked Within one another in the same manner as the individual links of a chain are linked together.

It is an object of my invention therefore to provide a rotary type gas burner for heating articles which cannot be inserted in or removed from the burner by movement along the burner rotation axis.

Another object of my invention is to provide a rotary gas burner of the annular type having means including a cut-out section or opening in the annular extent thereof providing a passageway in the annular members of the burner through which work articles may be inserted into or removed from the burner.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a rotary gas burner of the above-described type and having in addition a plurality of valved gas ports for supplying a combustible gaseous admixture to the individual burner elements continuously during the rotation of the burner carrying ring while closing ofi independently during the interval when the cut-out section of the burner ring is opposite the gas ports.

According to one aspect of the invention, a burner ring provided with burner elements is mounted within an annular outer race or support member so as to rotate therein, and the burner ring and outer race member are respectively provided with a cut-out section and a hinged door section which, when aligned with each other, provide a passageway or door opening into the interior of the burner when the hinged door is swung open. According to a further aspect of the invention, the outerrace is provided with a plurality of valved gas ports for continuously supplying a combustible gaseous admixture to a common gas supply passageway in the rotatable burner ring during the rotation of the latter, and the valved gas ports are actuated by the burner ring in a manner such as to open when the burner ring rides over the gas ports and to independently close during the interval when 2,745,479 Patented May 15,; 1956.

the cut-out section of the burner ring is located opposite the gas. ports.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear from the following detailed description of a species thereof and from the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing, Fig. l. is a rear elevation of a rotary gas burner comprising, my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the burner shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary front elevation, partly in section, of theburner; and

Fig. 4 is a fragment'arysectionon. the line 44 of. Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawing, the rotary gas burner according to my invention comprises a burner ring 1 journalled in a stationary outer race member or annular burner body 2 so as to be rotatable therein. The annular burner body or outer race 2 is fixedly mounted, as. by fastening screws 3, on a support bracket 4 which is, in turn, suitably fastened in place on a base plate 5. The. burner ring 1 is formed with a short cut-out section, to provide an opening or gap 6 (Fig. 3) in the ring for. passageway or work articles therethrough. The burner ring, 1 is also provided with a plurality (three in the particular case illustrated) of individual burner elements, 7 extending radially inward from the inner side of and uniformly spaced around the said ring. The burner openings of the burner elements 7 communicate with an external annular groove 8 formed in the outer periphery of the ring 1, the said groove 8 terminating, however, short of the two. ends of the ring formed by the cut-out section 6 thereof. The groove 8, together withv the mating surface or inner periphery of the outer race member 2, defines a common burner gas supply passageway for the several burner elements '7. The burner ring 1 is held or locked in place within the outer race 2 by means of an inturned' flange 9 (Fig. 2) on the outer race against one side of which flange the burner ringis held by a plurality of rollers 10 rotatably mounted on the ring and engaging the other side of the flange 9.

The rotational movement of the burner ring 1 is imparted thereto bya combination electric motor and speed reducer unit It mounted on the bed plate 5 and the output shaft 12' of which carries a spur gear 13 which is meshed with a mutilated ring gear 14 suitably fastened to the outer side of the burner ring 1, as by means of fastening screws for instance. The cut-out section or opening 15 (Fig. 1) in the mutilated ring gear 14 is coextensive with the cut-out section 6 of the burner ring 1. To insure continued rotation of the burner ring 1 during the interval when the cut-out section 15 of the ring gear 14- is opposite the spur gear 13, a second or supplementary spur gear 16 is provided for such purpose. This supplementary spur gear 16 meshes with the ring gear 14 at a point such that the spacing between the two spur or drive gears 13 and lo, around the periphery of the ring gear 1'4, is greater than the arcuate extent of the cut-out section 15 of the ring gear. As a result, the ring gear 14 will always be in meshing engagement with and thus will be rotated by either one or the other, or both, of the drive gears l3, 16. The supplementary drive gear 16 is rotatably mounted on a pin 17 fastened to the bracket 4, and it is rotated by a chain and sprocket drive com prising a pair of sprockets 18, 19 mounted onthe drive shaft 12 and the pin 17, respectively, and a connecting,

drive chain 20 running around and engaging with the teeth of the sprockets 18, 19. p The supplementaryv drive gear 16 is rotatably locked or coupled with the sprocket 19 so as to rotate as a unit therewith. The drive chain 20 maintains the two drive gears l3, 16 in predetermined rotational inter-relation to each other at all times so that they are in proper position to once again mesh with the teeth of the ring gear 14 after having become dis- 3 engaged therefrom by reason of the cut-out section of the ring gear coming opposite the drive gears during the rotation of the ring gear.

The gaseous fuel admixture for the burner elements 7 is supplied by a pair of valved ports or apertures 21 provided in the outer race member 2, the ports 21 being so located laterally thereof as to overlap and therefore communicate with the common gas supply channel or groove 8 in the outer periphery of the burner ring 1 (Fig. 4) during the interval when the grooved portion of the burner ring lies opposite the ports 21. The gas ports 21 are in the form of slots extending circumferentially of the outer race member 2 and they communicate with passageways or bores 22 in the bracket 4 which are, in turn, connected to a supply of a suitable combustible gaseous admixture by means of gas supply lines 23. Also, the two ports 21 are spaced apart, circumferentially of the outer race 2, a distance at least equal to the'arcuate distance between the terminal ends of the gas supply groove 8 in the burner ring 1, across the cut-out section 6 thereof. In this way, one or the other, or both, of the gas ports 21 is always in communication with the gas supply groove 8 in the burner ring 1 regardless of the rotative position thereof, so that the burner gas admixture is supplied continuously to the burner elements 7 during the rotation of the burner ring 1.

Control means are provided for automatically and independently'closing each of the gas ports 21, to thereby shut off the supply of burner gas issuing therefrom, during the interval when the cut-out section 6 of the burner ring 1 is located opposite each port, and to then automatically reopen the gas ports 21 during the interval when the burner ring is riding over the said ports. The escape of burner gas from the ports 21 during the interval when the cut-out section 6 of the burner ring 1 is opposite each port 21 is thereby prevented. The said gas port control means comprises a tilt valve for each port consisting of a valve member 24 (Fig. 4) tiltable within and movable longitudinally of the respectiverpassageway 22 and having a head portion 25 adapted to seat against the outer periphery of the race member 2 over the valve opening or gas port 21 to close oif the latter, and a stem or actuating pin portion 26 extending loosely through the slotshaped valve port 21 radially of the outer race member and of sufiicient length to project a slight distance in wardly beyond the inner periphery of the outer race member when the valve is in its closed. position, as shown at the right in Fig. 3. The tilt valve member 24 is normally held in its closed position, with the head portion 25 thereof seated against the outer side of the race member 2, by a compression coil spring 27 located within the gas supply passageway 22 in the bracket 4 and compressed between the valve head 25 and an internal shoulder 28 formed in the passageway 22. The outer end of the valve stem 26, which normally projects beyond the inner periphery of the burner ring 1 when the valve is closed, is rounded off as indicated at 29 in Fig. 4 to provide a cam surface which, when engaged by the burner ring 1 during rotation of the latter, causes the valve member 24 to be tilted in the slot-shaped port 21 and pushed inward to thereby open the valve. If desired, the transversely extending outer corner edges of the burner ring 1, formed by the intersection of the walls of the opening 6 in the burner ring with the outer periphery thereof, may be rounded or beveled off to a slight degree, as indicated at 33 in Fig. 3, to facilitate the inward devided with a hinged door or gate section 30 of short arcuate extent for permitting the passage of work articles into operative'heating position within the burner by movement through the opening or gap which is formed in the annular extent of the outer race 2 when the door SE is swung to its open position shown in dash-dot lines in Fig. 1. The arcuate length of the hinged door section 30 is made somewhat less than the arcuate distance between the opposite ends of the circumferential groove 8 in the burner ring 1, across the cut-out section 6 thereof, in order to assure the complete covering over of the groove 8 by the outer race member 2 and thus prevent the escape of burner gas from the said groove whenever the hinged door section 30 is swung open while the cutout section 6 of the burner ring 1 is located opposite the hinged door section. in the particular case illustrated, the hinged door section 36 is of an arcuate extent approximately co-extensive with the cut-out section 6 of the burner ring 1. The door section 3t"! is pivoted at one end on a hingepin 31, and it is held tight or clamped in closed position by means of a hand screw 32 which is carried by the door section and is adapted to screw into a threaded aperture in the main portion of the outer race.

When it is desired to insert into or remove from the burners. work article which is incapable of being introduced into or removed from the burner by movement of the article ina direction along the axis of rotation of the burner, it is merely necessary to first rotate the burner ring 1 into a position such that its cut-out section 6 is located opposite the hinged door section 3t? of the outer race 2 and to then swing open the said door section 30. An opening or passageway is thereby provided in i the annular extent of theburner unit through which paspression of the valve members 24 by the burner ring j sageway the work article can then be moved to either introduce it or remove it from the burner.

During the operation of the burner, combustible burner gas is supplied from the gas supply lines 23 to the valved gas ports 21 in the outer race 2. Inasmuch as either one or the other of the gas ports 21 is in communication with the gas supply channelway or groove 3 in the burner ring in any rotativeposition of the latter, burner gas is therefore continuously supplied to all the burner elements 7 at all times during the rotation of the burner ring by the motor-speed reducer unit 11. Whenever the cutout section 6 of the burner ring 1 comes opposite one or the other of the gas port 21, the valve spring 27 of the associated valve 24 closes the latter, thereby automatically shutting off the supply of burner gas to the respective gas port.

Although a preferred embodiment of my invention has been disclosed, it will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific construction and arrangement of parts shown, but that they may be widely modified within the spirit and scope of my invention as defined by the appended claims. For example, instead of forming the gas supply groove 8 in the outer periphery of the burner ring 1 and the cooperating gas ports 21 in the inner periphery of the outer race member 2, they may be formed in the mating side or bearing faces of the burner ring 1 and the inturned flange 9 on the outer race member 2, respectively.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A rotary ring-typegas burner comprising an annular burner ring and a surrounding stationary annular race member rotatably supporting said burner ring, said burner ring having a gap in its circumference and said race member having also a gap in its circumference substantially co-extensive with the gap in said burner ring and bridged by a removable gate portion, said burner ring being provided with a groove around an external surface thereof terminating at each end short of the gap therein and covered by a surface of said race member including its said gate portion in all angular positions of said burner ring, said burner ring further having burner openings at its inner periphery communicating with said groove, a pair of gas ports in said race member arranged to be covered by and communicate with the groove in the burner ring during rotation thereof and spaced apart circumferentially of the race member a distance greater than the gap in said burner ring, selfclosing valve means in said ports normally closed and arranged to be engaged and opened by said burner ring only when said gas ports are substantially covered by the burner ring to thereby permit flow of gas to said groove, and means to continuously rotate said burner ring in said race member.

2. A rotary ring-type gas burner comprising a stationary outer race member having an internal annular bearing surface, a burner ring member rotatably mounted within said outer race member and having an external annular bearing surface mating with the said internal bearing surface on said race member, said burner ring having a gap in its circumference of relatively short arcuate length and being provided with an annular groove around its said external surface terminating at each end short of the said gap therein, said burner ring also being provided with burner openings at its inner periphery communicating with said groove, said race member having a portion of its arcuate extent formed as a separate insert member mounted on the main portion of said race member for withdrawal movement from its inserted position therein to thereby leave a gap in the circumference of said outer race member, said insert member having an arcuate extent less than the arcuate distance between the ends of said groove across the gap in said burner ring, said race member also having a pair of gas ports in its said internal bearing surface arranged to be covered by and communicate With the said groove and spaced apart circumferentially of the race member a distance at least equal to the arcuate distance between the ends of said groove across the gap in said burner ring, self-closing valve means in said ports normally closed and arranged to be engaged and opened by said burner ring only when said gas ports are substantially covered by the burner ring to thereby permit flow of burner gas from said ports into said groove, and means engaging with said burner ring to continuously rotate it in said race member.

3. A rotary ring-type gas burner comprising a stationary outer race member having a portion of its arcuate extent separated from the remainder thereof and pivotally mounted thereon to provide a hinged door section, a burner ring member rotatably mounted within said outer race member and having a cut-out section approximately co-extensive in arcuate length with the said hinged door section, said burner ring further having an external circumferential groove terminating short of the opposite ends of the burner ring and a plurality of burner openings extending from said groove to the inner periphery of the burner ring, the outer periphery of said burner ring being formed with gear teeth therearound to provide a ring gear, means for rotating said burner ring comprising a pair of interconnected drive gears meshed with said ring gear at points spaced a greater arcuate distance therearound than the arcuate extent of the said cut-out section thereof, said outer race member having valved gas port means approximately aligned with said groove so as to communicate therewith and connected to a supply of burner gas, said gas ports being spaced circumferentially a distance at least equal to the arcuate distance between the ends of said groove across the gap in said burner ring and including self-closing valve means normally closing off the said gas ports from the supply of burner gas and engaged and opened by the said burner ring only during the interval when the burner ring rides over the said gas ports during its rotational movement.

4. A rotary ring-type gas burner comprising a stationary outer race member having a portion of its arcuate extent separated from the remainder thereof and pivotally mounted thereon to provide a hinged door section, a burner ring member rotatably mounted within said outer, race member and having a cut-out section approximately co-extensive in arcuate length with the said hinged door section, said burner ring further having an external circumferential groove terminating short of the opposite ends of the burner ring and a plurality of burner elements extending laterally inward from the interior of the burner ring and communicating with the said external groove, a

mutilated ring gear fastened to said burner ring and having the cut-out portion thereof located opposite and co-extensive with the cut-out section of the burner ring, means for rotating said burner ring comprising a pair of interconnected drive gears meshed with said ring gear at points spaced a greater arcuate distance therearound than the arcuate extent of the said cut-out section thereof, said outer race member having a pair of burner gas supply ports in its inner periphery located in approximate alignment with the said groove so as to communicate therewith and be covered by the burner ring during rotation thereof and spaced circumferentially of the race member a distance at least equal to the arcuate distance between the ends of said groove across the cut-out section of the burner ring, said gas supply ports being connected to a supply of burner gas, and valve means normally closing off the said gas ports from the said gas supply, said valve means being engaged and opened by the burner ring only during the interval'when the burner ring rides over and substantially covers the said gas ports during its rotational movement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

